Horatio:
She has a face that would brook no argument of mine
Plum:
Indeed, she has no face for you at all.
Horatio:
No sir, she has a face that is like an open book
That shuts itself when e’er you look
I do say that is a Facebook.
Examination of the manuscript, from which the above is taken, suggests it is indeed Shakespeare’s unfinished Thirteenth Night.
A corsair is a Government sanctioned pirate. I guess Sir Francis Drake, he of the defeat of the Spanish Armada, would qualify. And others sanctioned by Elizabeth I, of whom I do not know the names.
Barbary corsairs were pirates from North Africa attacking ships flying the flags of countries of Northern Europe. French corsairs were pirates acting on behalf of the French crown. The word comes from the Latin currere meaning to run.
A privateer is a private ship, a private man of war, an armed vessel owned and officered by private persons, but usually acting under commission from the state.
And an xebec (pronounced zee-beck) is a small, three-masted vessel found in the Mediterranean, often used by corsairs, and now used in commerce. Wikipedia mentions that in the 1800s, xebecs overtook galleys as the preferred ships of Barbary pirates because they used wind power, which reduced need for slaves to row. And because they could carry more guns – presumably because the ship wasn’t cluttered up with slaves and oars – and had better manoeuvrability.
A couple of days ago, William Wragg MP, the Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (which oversees the work of the cabinet office, including the Prime Minister’s office), issued this statement on Parliament.tv
In recent days, a number of members of parliament have faced pressures and intimidation from members of the government because of their declared or assumed desire for a vote of confidence in the party leadership of the Prime Minister.
It is of course the duty of the government, whip’s office to secure the government’s business in the House of Commons.
However, it is not their function to breach the ministerial code in threatening to withdraw investments from Members of Parliament’s constituencies which are funded from the public purse.
Additionally, reports to me and others of members of staff at Number 10 Downing Street, special advisers, government ministers and others, encouraging the publication of stories in the press, seeking to embarrass those who they suspect of lacking confidence in the Prime Minister is similarly unacceptable.
The intimidation of a Member of Parliament is a serious matter. Moreover, the reports of which I’m aware, would seem to constitute blackmail. As such, it would be my general advice to colleagues to report these matters to the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and they’re also welcome to contact me at any time.
I read that two of the compounds found in hemp -cannabigerolic acid, or CBGA, and cannabidiolic acid, or CBDA – were identified during a chemical screening effort as having potential to combat coronavirus, according to researchers from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.
The next stage is to start human trials of the compounds as preventatives.
CBGA and CBDA are acid forms, and destroyed by heating. CBD products that are made by heating would destroy the acid forms. So it is not clear (because it has not been interesting until now) whether current CBD products contain the acid forms.
Feed a cold, and starve a fever. Is it good advice?
Apparently not according to modern science. One should give nutrition to support the immune system, from whatever kind of infection one is suffering.
Which begs the question of how the timeless advice to feed a cold and starve a fever gained a hold to such an extent that it’s a cliche.
ITV has been issued with a warning after an episode of Lorraine fronted by Lorraine Kelly racked up nearly 4,000 complaints.
In the programme, Dr Hilary said: “Those people who haven’t been vaccinated, we’d really love you to think again and be vaccinated because 90% of people in hospital are unvaccinated right now with Covid.”
A clarification was broadcast on the show two days later, explaining the statistic related to patients in intensive care units rather than the proportion of unvaccinated Covid-19 patients in hospital.
My comment – rather than condemn his statement, the clarification shows the serious consequences of not being vaccinated. Being in hospital is one thing; being in intensive care is another. If anything, it validates his statement all the more.
Hilary Robert Jones MBE is an English general practitioner, presenter and writer on medical issues, known for his media appearances, most especially on television.